When men s sense of masculinity is challenged or threatened, some react aggressively while others do not.
According to a new study, published on January 27 in the journal
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin by researchers from Duke University, the most triggered by these words or from the threats to masculinity are younger men whose sense of masculinity depends heavily on the opinions of other people. Our results suggest that the more social pressure a man feels to be masculine, the more aggressive he may be, said study s lead author and psychology and policy Ph. D. candidate Adam Stanaland. When those men feel they are not living up to strict gender norms, they may feel the need to act aggressively to prove their manhood to be a man.